1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a centerfilled food bar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Centerfilled food products are well known to the industry. U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,946 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,715 teach processes using centerfilled food products. The processes used in producing those food products are also useful for production in this invention and are incorporated herein by reference. Prior centerfilled food products, however, as described in the above patents, have been those in which a cereal or otherwise hard outer core is extruded around a soft inner core. The resulting product is something having a hard shell with a soft inner filling and the two sides of the product, that is the outer shell and the inner filling have substantially different moisture contents and different nutritional and other characteristics.
Intermediate moisture food products have also been well known in the past. By use herein of the term "intermediate moisture food product" it is intended to mean a food product having a moisture content of between 15 and 45% by weight and being stable with respect to bacteriological spoilage. In U.S. Pat Nos. 3,741,774; 3,759,714; and 3,202,514, food products are shown each having an intermediate moisture content and illustrating different types of products. Other processes are now known which include the production of stabilized egg and other such foods as intermediate moisture food products. Additionally, jellies, jams and the like have been produced having intermediate moisture contents and being bacteriologically stable.
The new and novel product of this invention is a combination of a stabilized protein supplemented marshmallow, as an outer shell, with an inner shell comprising an intermediate moisture food product. The new and novel product of this invention is the first known process to give the high degree of taste required for inclusion of large amounts of protein in a food product.